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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Educational Value

The story intends to entertain rather than educate.

Positive Messages

Viewers see members of a blended, biracial family learn to relate to each other in positive ways. Piper takes her mother's expensive necklace to wear herself, but fate teaches her a lesson because of her actions. Some body humor (burping and a vomit incident). Some exaggerated accents from supporting characters.

Positive Role Models & Representations

All the main characters evolve to embrace their roles in a new family structure and appreciate their new siblings. The fact that the parents are blissfully ignorant of the kids' activities enables the preposterous events that befall them, but it's all for laughs.

Violence & Scariness

One scene shows kids in costumes engaging in a staged fight, but no one is injured. A security guard uses a Taser on a teen with little ill effect. It's thought for a while that a character was thrown overboard.

Sexy Stuff

Brief flirting among teens, culminating in a couple of kissing scenes.

Language

One instance of "blubberbutt," in reference to a sea lion.

Consumerism

The movie's cast hails from various Nickelodeon productions such as The Thundermans and Bella and the Bulldogs, as well as singing sensation Cody Simpson, so kids may want to check out the players' other work.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that One Crazy Cruise is a zany comedy with prominent messages about the ties that bind families of all shapes and sizes. At its heart is the Jensen-Bauer family, forged from the recent marriage of an African-American woman and a white man, thus uniting their combined four children. As the kids are thrown into a bizarre adventure with unforeseen consequences, they must learn to work together to avoid dire consequences for their dad's career. Expect some body humor (burping and a gross-out incident involving sea lion vomit) and a couple of kisses between teen couples, plus a stretch of time during which it's thought that a character was tossed over the side of the cruise ship. A main character takes an item of her mother's without permission, but she pays the consequences for doing so.

What's the story?

When the newly blended Jensen-Bauer family sets sail on a luxury cruise for some old-fashioned family bonding, they have no idea what adventures lay in store for them. What they do know is that the dad (Ken Tremblett) is prepping for a software launch he hopes will earn him the good graces of his acerbic boss. But when the four siblings take part in a hypnotist's show and awaken the next day with their room in chaos and some important items -- including the only copy of their dad's new app -- nowhere to be found, Piper (Sydney Park), Ellie (Kira Kosarin), Nate (Benjamin Flores, Jr.), and Cameron (Rio Mangini) must work together to figure out what happened while they were under the magician's spell before their parents catch wind of what's going on.

Is it any good?

ONE CRAZY CRUISE is a wacky comedy adventure that will keep kids watching and laughing to the very last minute. By stacking the deck with familiar Nickelodeon faces, not to mention an appearance by red-hot singing sensation Cody Simpson, the movie's guaranteed to be a hit with the young crowd. The fact that the story's plot is altogether improbable does little to tarnish its appeal, and entire families will enjoy watching the characters wrestle with one absurdity after another as they try desperately to understand the mayhem they caused in their hypnotic state.

Fun and games aside, there's plenty of reason to like this movie's sentiments about the ties that bind members of all types of families. Even the newly minted Jensen-Bauer siblings, who start the story less than thrilled about this exercise in bonding, learn a lot from the experience and come to appreciate each other in a new way. In addition to the film being lots of fun to watch, the story illustrates the value of family members having your back ... especially when it comes to being handcuffed to a prosthetic leg or finding a sea lion in your closet.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about sibling relationships. What are your kids' biggest challenges in getting along with each other? What is the best thing about having brothers and sisters? What do your kids like to do together?

Would you agree there's a positive side to adversity? How does this story illustrate that? What experiences have you had that suggest this?

Kids: Were you inclined to watch this movie because of the actors and actresses involved? Do you know their other work? Is it fun to see your favorite stars play roles other than what you're used to?

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